This will be the last Freshman of the Year rankings of the season, as we don’t plan on releasing one on the first Thursday of the NCAA tournament and there’s not much left to be decided. Unlike the Player of the Year race, which is still neck-and-neck heading into the conference tournaments, Anthony Davis has had this thing wrapped up since January. There was only one week where he didn’t hold the top spot, and that was after teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had a monster game in early December. Davis was simply dominant throughout the season, especially on the defensive end, and he got better and better on offense as the campaign progressed. In closing, congrats to Davis.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (Last Week: 1): 14.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.7 bpg, 66.3 FG%His offensive improvement down the stretch of the season has been extremely impressive. Davis is efficient inside and is now becoming a matchup problem with his face-up game.

2. Cody Zeller, Indiana (Last Week: 2): 15.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 63.5 FG%Despite getting plenty of defensive attention throughout the season, Zeller rebounded from a pseudo-slump during the middle of the season to be a huge factor in a recent four-game winning streak.

3. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 3): 14.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.6 apgBurke played extremely well late in the year, cutting down on turnovers and becoming more efficient from the floor. Has been extremely valuable all season for the Wolverines.

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 4): 11.9 ppg, 7.8 rpgKidd-Gilchrist has struggled offensively in the last month, but he’s still the freshman leader for the Wildcats. His activity on the defensive end and his transition game are eye opening.

5. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 5): 15.3 ppg, 8.6 rpgAlthough the question of whether he will enter the NBA draft has dominated his headlines recently, he finished with a typically dominant game: 25 points, nine rebounds in a loss.

6. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 7): 15.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 38.3 3PT%Rivers really woke up in the final two months of the season, after not starting one game early in conference play. His game – and game-winner – against North Carolina was a defining moment.

7. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 6): 14.4 ppg, 6.5 rpgBeal didn’t finish with a bang, going 1-of-10 in a 15-point loss to Kentucky. However, he stepped up his aggressiveness in the final six weeks, and started becoming a go-to-guy for the Gators.

8. Tony Mitchell, North Texas (Last Week: 8): 14.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 56.7 FG%Mitchell and North Texas fell just short of the NCAA tournament, but he was clearly the best non-BCS frosh this season. Only newcomer in the country to average a double-double, and he blocked shots too.

9. Tony Wroten, Washington (Last Week: 9): 16.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.7 apgWroten is one of the most productive all-around freshmen in the country, and he’s tremendously fun to watch. However, he needs to be more efficient and not force as many shots.

10. B.J. Young, Arkansas (Last Week: NR): 15.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 50.6 FG%, 42.0 3PT%It took him until the final week, but Young is back in the rankings despite his team having a rough final stretch. Young is ultra-efficient and can score in multiple ways. Going to be a star.

Notes:

The one player to fall out of the rankings in the final week was St. John’s guard D’Angelo Harrison. He had a tremendous season and was in the rankings for most of the final two months. Leading freshman scorer in BCS-affiliated leagues.

The first conference tournament to get turned upside-down this year was the Sun Belt, which saw three of the top four seeds – including the top two seeds – lose in the quarterfinals. The fun didn’t stop on Monday, as the remaining favorite, No. 3 seed Denver, was toppled by No. 7 Western Kentucky. On the other side of the bracket, No. 5 seed North Texas will head to the title game for the third straight season after beating No. 9 Arkansas State.

North Texas won the first meeting between the two teams, in mid-January. In that game, the Mean Green shot better than 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range en route to a 17-point win.

Western Kentucky is a very different team than it was back then, as Ray Harper took over as the head coach and completely turned around the Hilltoppers’ season. They knocked off regular-season champion Middle Tennessee in the season finale and also beat the top tournament contenders in the conference tournament. During their recent five-game winning streak, the Hilltoppers are playing far better offensively and showing more consistency on the defensive end.

Plenty of impressive freshmen will be on display Tuesday night in Hot Springs, Ark. North Texas’ Tony Mitchell is one of the top newcomers in the country, capable of dominating at both ends of the floor. Western Kentucky counters with Derrick Gordon and George Fant.

North Texas has been far more balanced lately, with Alzee Williams, Jacob Holmen and Roger Franklin all picking up the slack with Mitchell struggling in the postseason. If Mitchell returns to the form he showed in the regular season, Western Kentucky could have trouble.

The winner of this game will likely be the lowest-rated team in the field, meaning the winner could end up in Dayton for the First Four.

This is the next-to-last Freshman rankings of the season, as next week marks the final stretch before the NCAA tournament. Right now, the No. 1 spot is locked up for Kentucky's Anthony Davis to take home. It would surprise me if anyone else even garners a vote for the Freshman of the Year award. There's still some decisions to be made for the all-freshman team, though. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has seen his offensive drop off the last month, while Moe Harkless just got injured. Brad Beal is making a move, while Austin Rivers continues to get better. It looks like conference tournaments could decide some of the final dilemmas facing the Freshman of the Year rankings.

The Freshman of the Year rankings are released every Thursday afternoon, shortly after Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish’s Player of the Year rankings.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (Last Week: 1): 14.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.8 bpg, 65.8 FG%If there were any questions remaining about Davis, he answered them against Vanderbilt. He shot 10-of-11 from the field, finishing with 28 points, 11 boards and five blocks.

3. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 3): 14.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.8 apgBurke didn’t have a vintage effort against Purdue, struggling with his shot and turning it over four times. He’s only shot 50 percent or better twice in the past 10 games.

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 4): 12.0 ppg, 7.8 rpgKidd-Gilchrist slowed down late in the season, averaging just 8.9 points and shooting 40.6 percent from the field in the final eight games. He was still a factor on the glass and the defensive end, though.

5. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 5): 15.2 ppg, 8.5 rpgHarkless played just 22 minutes against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, finishing with four points. He injured his right ankle and looked limited once he came back into the game.

6. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 7): 14.7 ppg, 6.5 rpgBeal is playing his best basketball of the season in the last month, being far more aggressive offensively and also rebounding extremely well for his position. Five double-doubles this season.

7. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 8): 15.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 39.3 3PT%Rivers is diversifying his game late in the season. He took 17 free throws against Virginia Tech, eight 3-pointers against Florida State and nine 2-pointers against Wake Forest.

8. Tony Mitchell, North Texas (Last Week: 6): 15.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 bpg, 58.1 FG%Mitchell will have his chance to carry the Mean Green with the Sun Belt tourney beginning this weekend. He’s slowed down offensively lately, averaging 9.7 points in his last three games.

9. Tony Wroten, Washington (Last Week: 9): 16.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.5 apgWhen Wroten is doing what he does well – attacking the rim and making plays – he’s at his best. Forcing shots is not. 21 points, six rebounds and five assists looks good, but it can’t take him 18 shots.

10. D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s (Last Week: 10): 17.0 ppg, 3.7 rpgHarrison set the St. John’s freshman scoring record on Wednesday night, finishing with 21 points and four 3-pointers. If only he actually made his inside shots, we could see him average 25 a game.

Notes:

Once again, no one moved in or out of the rankings.

It's neck and neck with Harrison and B.J. Young of Arkansas for the No. 10 spot right now. Young is an efficient scorer who knocks down 3-pointers, and is averaging 20.3 points in his last seven games. This could come down to the wire. The other nine players are fairly secure in the top 10, although there's still potential for changs.

As you should know by now, I look for every reason to get a Delaware mention in here. Well, in his last five games, Jarvis Threatt is averaging 19.8 points and 4.6 boards.

LaDontae Henton totaled 42 points and 22 rebounds in two wins over DePaul and Connecticut.

Wonder if Tennessee’s Jarnell Stokes is ready for a big finish to the season. He shot 9-of-10 with 18 points and seven rebounds in an overtime win against LSU on Wednesday.

Stanford’s Chasson Randle is really hitting his stride offensively. He’s had at least 16 points in five of his last six games, averaging 17.0 points in that span.

Matt Carlino will be a key heading forward for BYU. The Cougars need him to score, but taking 23 shots (Gonzaga) and 19 shots (San Francisco) isn’t the trick.

Charleston Southern has one of the more underrated freshman duos, in guards Saah Nimley and Arlon Harper. They’re combining to averaging 26.0 points.

Binghamton has only one win this season, but Ben Dickinson is averaging 15.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in his last four games.

With only a couple of weeks left in the season, the proverbial Freshman Wall of January is in the rearview mirror and the top newcomers are making a push. Nearly every single one of the top 10 newcomers is playing outstanding ball lately – and many of them have their teams in the thick of a conference title race. Which brings us to the question: which freshman is most valuable to his team? Anthony Davis would still be No. 1, but would the rest of the top 10 be the same? Trey Burke might be No. 2, and someone outside the top 10 might make the rankings. Just some food for thought.

The Freshman of the Year rankings are released every Thursday afternoon, shortly after Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish’s Player of the Year rankings.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (Last Week: 1): 13.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 4.8 bpg, 64.6 FG%Davis didn’t dominate at either end over the past week, but he’s still the biggest game-changer in college basketball. Took two 3-pointers against Mississippi State; he had only attempted six all season.

2. Cody Zeller, Indiana (Last Week: 2): 15.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 64.5 FG%While Zeller continues his stellar offensive play, his rebounding is the biggest positive right now. He’s averaging 8.7 boards in his last six games, after a poor January on the glass.

3. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 5): 14.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apgBurke has Michigan in the thick of the Big Ten race, and he came up big in the past week. He averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in wins over Ohio State and Northwestern.

4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 3): 12.2 ppg, 7.8 rpgKidd-Gilchrist bounced back from a rough offensive stretch with a great performance against Mississippi State, going for 18 points and 10 rebounds – and locking down Dee Bost in the second half.

5. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 4): 15.4 ppg, 8.7 rpgHarkless played 40 minutes in each of his last two games, and shows no signs of slowing down. He nabbed double-figure rebounds in both games, and shot 6-for-9 on Monday.

6. Tony Mitchell, North Texas (Last Week: 6): 15.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 58.7 FG%Mitchell dominated as soon as he moved up the rankings, getting 18 points, 15 boards and six blocks. But he struggled over the weekend, suffering from foul trouble en route to seven points.

7. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 8): 14.5 ppg, 6.3 rpgBeal continues to perform at a very high level over the last month. He’s become Florida’s most consistent player, averaging 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in his last eight games.

8. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 7): 15.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 39.8 3PT%Rivers is starting to get comfortable as a 3-point shooter and go-to-guy on the perimeter. He scored 16 points in each of his last two games, hitting four 3-pointers.

9. Tony Wroten, Washington (Last Week: 9): 16.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.5 apgWroten’s game against Arizona was what the Huskies need from him (aside from overshooting). He had 22 points, nine rebounds – and just two turnovers. He’s great off the dribble, just needs to play under control.

10. D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s (Last Week: 10): 16.9 ppg, 3.7 rpgTo be honest, we’re looking for reasons to move new players onto the list, but Harrison is making that harder and harder. He averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in his last two games.

Notes:

Once again, no one moved in or out of the rankings.

Arkansas’ B.J. Young was one of the last ones left out of the rankings. Despite the Razorbacks’ struggles of late, Young is rolling. He’s averaging 23.0 points in his last four games, shooting 31-for-55 from the field and 10-for-20 from 3-point range.

Butler’s Roosevelt Jones has been a major part of the Bulldogs’ resurgence, averaging 11.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last eight games.

Myck Kabongo is rounding into form. He’s putting up 15.0 points and 4.3 assists in his last four games.

Providence’s LaDontae Henton has played at least 39 minutes in 11 of his last 12 games. That’s unbelievable for a 6-foot-6 frontcourt player.

Anthony Collins continues to transform the South Florida offense at the point guard position. He’s averaging 11.1 points and 6.7 assists in his last seven games.

Kevin Pangos was on the verge of breaking into the rankings, but he shot 2-for-11 from 3 in his last two games, averaging just 8.0 points.

Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant is averaging 13.8 points and 5.2 assists in his last nine games.

The injury to Rodney Hood could be huge for Mississippi State. He gives the Bulldogs a bonafide third or fourth scorer who can knock down outside shots or get into the mid-range.

Prior to Sunday’s subpar performance against UCLA, Stanford’s Chasson Randle was averaging 18.7 points in his previous three games.

Iowa forward Aaron White is putting up 14.5 points and 10.3 rebounds in his last four games.

Nice couple of games from Western Kentucky’s Derrick Gordon: 14.5 points and 10.5 boards in the last week.

We all know Anthony Davis is going to win all Freshman of the Year awards this season; that’s set in stone. But the finalists for the Wayman Tisdale Award were released on Wednesday afternoon, and there were some questionable selections. The finalists were: Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Austin Rivers and Tony Wroten. The first three are fine – but Rivers and Wroten? Prior to his recent stretch, Rivers had struggled offensively, while Wroten has gaudy numbers but has been inconsistent with turnovers. I can see Rivers, but Wroten is a stretch. Moe Harkless is supremely talented and has put up tremendous numbers, while Trey Burke has Michigan in the Big Ten title hunt. Both could have made a case for inclusion.

The Freshman of the Year rankings are released every Thursday afternoon, shortly after Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish’s Player of the Year rankings.

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (Last Week: 1): 14.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 4.9 bpg, 65.1 FG%Davis finally missed a few shots over the weekend against Vanderbilt, but he had one of his best defensive performances of the season, blocking seven shots.

2. Cody Zeller, Indiana (Last Week: 3): 15.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 65.6 FG%Zeller is heating up again at the right time. In the last two games, he totaled 45 points and 12 rebounds on 14-for-19 shooting from the field. He also knocked down 17-of-20 free throws.

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 2): 12.3 ppg, 7.7 rpgKidd-Gilchrist has been very inconsistent on the offensive end lately, making five or more field goals in a game just twice since December 31. He has six single-digit scoring games in that span.

4. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 4): 15.6 ppg, 8.5 rpgDespite being the focal point of defenses, Harkless is still managing to carry the young Johnnies offensively. He averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in his last two games.

5. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 5): 14.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.8 apgBurke has scaled his offensive production back a bit in the past few weeks, but he still has the Wolverines in Big Ten title contention. Had 14 over the weekend vs. Illinois.

7. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 6): 15.0 ppg, 41.0 3PT%Not surprisingly, Rivers slowed down after his performance against North Carolina. He still managed to knock down three 3-pointers and dish out four assists vs. Maryland.

8. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 10): 14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpgEveryone on the Gators seems to be hitting a wall – except Beal. He’s picking up the slack over the past six games, averaging 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds. He’s been more aggressive.

9. Tony Wroten, Washington (Last Week: 8): 16.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apgIf only Wroten could find some consistency from the floor and with turnovers. He was too aggressive in a 25-point loss to Oregon, and foul trouble hampered him against Oregon State.

10. D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s (Last Week: 9): 16.5 ppg, 3.5 rpgHarrison continued his torrid 3-point pace against Georgetown, with five long-range shots, but shot just 4-for-15 from the field in a 30-point loss to Seton Hall.

Notes:

It’s getting harder and harder to break into the rankings, with the way the bottom half of the top 10 is playing. Beal is rolling, Harrison is putting up numbers, Mitchell is a beast, and it’s tough to take out Wroten.

Texas’ Myck Kabongo is going to be a huge key for the Longhorns down the stretch. He averaged 13.0 points and 5.0 assists in his last two games.

Gonzaga’s Kevin Pangos is one of the hottest shooters around. He’s averaged 24.0 points and 5.5 assists in his last two games, shooting 10-for-13 from 3-point range.

South Florida point guard Anthony Collins has tallied at least six assists in five straight games, and is one of the reasons the Bulls are playing well. Averaging 8.8 points and 6.2 assists in that span.

Arkansas’ B.J. Young seems to have found his stroke. He’s 21-for-36 in his last three games, averaging 20.3 points in that span. He’s inching closer to the rankings.

It’s time to stop calling Kentucky’s Marquis Teague a disappointment. He’s playing more within himself (and the offense) and has really cut back on his turnovers. Averaged 12.5 points and 9.0 assists in his last two games.

If Arizona’s Nick Johnson has more games like he did against Utah – 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and three 3-pointers – look out.

LSU has itself a nice inside-outside duo in guard Anthony Hickey and big man Johnny O’Bryant. Both have been inconsistent, but the light bulb could be coming on.

So much for the freshman wall. What a week we saw from some of the top newcomers in the country. Austin Rivers hit a game-winning 3-pointer; Le’Bryan Nash knocked down a go-ahead jumper and then blocked a shot at the other end; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist did it all; Anthony Davis moved closer to National Player of the Year – and that’s just four of them. While Davis continues to separate himself from the pack, the competition behind him is heating up as we head into the final weeks of the regular season.

The Freshman of the Year rankings are released every Thursday afternoon, shortly after Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish’s Player of the Year rankings.

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 2): 12.6 ppg, 7.8 rpgKidd-Gilchrist bolted out of the gate against Florida with a bang, finishing with 13 points and 13 boards. Overall, his offense has been fairly inconsistent lately.

3. Cody Zeller, Indiana (Last Week: 5): 15.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 64.9 FG%Zeller has really picked up his rebounding in the past week, grabbing 20 in the last two games combined. If he can continue to make an impact on the glass, he’ll be even more of a factor.

4. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 4): 15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpgHarkless has struggled since his 30-point game against Duke, averaging 10.0 points on 11-for-39 shooting in his last three contests. Grabbing 7.0 rebounds per game in that span.

5. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 3): 14.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.9 apgBurke has been quiet offensively the past two games, making just four shots in each game, averaging 11.5 points. Scoring his dipped since his monster early January stretch.

6. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 10): 15.1 ppg, 40.4 3PT%Rivers etched his name into Duke-Carolina lore on Wednesday, with his 25-footer at the buzzer to give the Blue Devils a one-point win. He’s really starting to heat up, averaging 22.3 points in his last three games.

8. Tony Wroten, Washington (Last Week: 6): 16.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apgWroten continues to be slightly up and down. Washington simply looked better without him against UCLA, but he bounced back with eight assists and one turnover vs. USC.

9. D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s (Last Week: 9): 16.4 ppg, 3.7 rpgHarrison is lighting up the scoreboard the past three weeks. Interesting stat: in his past six games, he’s 24-for-45 from 3-point range – and just 14-for-45 on 2-pointers.

10. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 8): 14.3 ppg, 6.1 rpgBeal has become more aggressive in the past four games, averaging 17.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. His 5-for-15 performance against Kentucky was just one of many bad nights for the Gators.

Notes:

No players dropped out from last week.

La Salle’s Jerrell Wright needs to stay out of foul trouble. He was averaging 14.3 points in the Explorers’ four-game winning streak, but played just 24 minutes in the last two games total – both losses.

If only Le’Bryan Nash could be consistent. He made two huge plays at the end of Oklahoma State’s win over Iowa State, but struggled the previous game.

Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant is playing more than 38 minutes per game in his last eight games.

Chane Behanan has really turned it up over the past six games. He’s averaging 13.5 and 9.8 rebounds in that span.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope needs to have more performances like he did against Arkansas on Wednesday. 18 points, 6-for-10 shooting, three 3-pointers.

Quincy Miller of Baylor is reverting back to his December form. He’s shot just 7-for-23 in the last three games, averaging only 6.3 points.

It’s almost time to think about making room for Michigan State’s Branden Dawson. He continues his good play, now averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in his last five games.

Freshman Watch wouldn’t be complete with a mention of Georgetown’s Otto Porter. He had 14 points and 13 boards against Syracuse on Wednesday night.

Providence’s LaDontae Henton is averaging 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in his last four games.

The biggest freshman disappointment could be Connecticut’s Andre Drummond. Other candidates could be Jabari Brown and Khem Birch, then maybe Josiah Turner and DeAndre Daniels.

Texas' Sheldon McClellan is averaging 16.0 points in his last two games.

Richmond’s Kendall Anthony has knocked down 16 of his last 26 attempts from 3-point range.

After scoring in double-figures just four times in his first nine games, Tennessee-Martin’s Myles Taylor has tallied double-digits in 14 of his last 16 contests.

Anthony Davis has separated himself as the clear No. 1 freshman in the country, dominating defensively and getting better and better offensively. There is also a gap between the top five and everyone else, although North Texas’ Tony Mitchell is making a run. He’s clearly the most talented player in the Sun Belt, and has the ability to carry the Mean Green to an automatic bid in the conference tournament. If he continues to produce like he has, he could close out the best mid-major freshman race fairly quickly.

The Freshman of the Year rankings are released every Thursday afternoon, shortly after Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish’s Player of the Year rankings.

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (Last Week: 2): 12.8 ppg, 7.7 rpgKidd-Gilchrist didn’t have his best week of the season, struggling against LSU with only one point on 0-for-5 shooting. He bounced back with 16 and eight, though.

3. Trey Burke, Michigan (Last Week: 3): 14.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.9 apgBurke found his shot against Indiana, going 2-for-2 from behind the arc en route to 18 points and four assists. He also held his own against Aaron Craft and Ohio State.

4. Moe Harkless, St. John’s (Last Week: 5): 16.3 ppg, 8.7 rpgHarkless has increased his stock dramatically lately. He had 30 points and 13 rebounds against Duke, but only shot 2-for-15 with nine points vs. DePaul (although he was hampered by an injury).

5. Cody Zeller, Indiana (Last Week: 4): 15.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 65.2 FG%Zeller has been inconsistent in the last three games, sneaking a 26-point effort in between two games where he averaged 9.0 points on 6-for-16 shooting.

7. Tony Mitchell, North Texas (Last Week: 10): 15.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 64.0 FG%Mitchell is dominating the Sun Belt like we thought he would at the beginning of the year. He had 21 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks in a win last weekend.

8. Brad Beal, Florida (Last Week: 6): 14.1 ppg, 5.8 rpgBeal has limited the bad shots in the past few weeks, and his efficiency has risen as a result. Against Mississippi State, he went for 19 points and also knocked down three 3-pointers.

9. D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s (Last Week: NR): 16.4 ppg, 3.8 rpgHarrison made his way back into the rankings with a stellar last four games. He’s averaging 24.3 points in that stretch, and has vastly improved his shooting: 17-for-32 from behind the arc.

10. Austin Rivers, Duke (Last Week: 9): 14.1 ppgRivers scored in double figures for the fourth game in a row against St. John’s, and also dished out five assists, showing much-needed creativity on the perimeter for Duke.

Notes:

Le’Bryan Nash was the only one to drop out of the rankings, mostly because of his inconsistency. He has shot just 8-for-24 in his last two games, forcing too much offensively.

Mitchell was the first non-BCS player to move out of the No. 10 spot in the rankings.

If Baylor’s Quincy Miller could develop some consistency from the floor, he would easily make his way into the rankings. However, he’s only shot 10-for-25 in the last three games.

B.J. Young of Arkansas has seen his numbers dip as the Razorbacks pick up big wins. His shooting percentage dropped below 50 percent for the first time this season.

Providence’s LaDontae Henton is doing his best to make his way back into the rankings, going for 33 points and seven boards against South Florida, followed by 15 and nine in a win over Rutgers.

Ole Miss’ Jarvis Summers has made only four shots in the past three games, after scoring in double figures 10 times this season.

LSU’s Johnny O’Bryant could be headed for a solid final month. He had 12 points and nine rebounds against Kentucky.

Rutgers’ Eli Carter has shot just 27-for-79 in his last seven games.

Michigan State’s Branden Dawson has really stepped his game up the last three contests. He’s averaging 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in that stretch, shooting 17-for-28.

Stanford’s Chasson Randle was inching closer to the rankings, but he’s shot just 5-for-19 in the past two games, averaging just 8.0 points and 1.0 assists.

Ricky Tarrant of Tulane has scored in double figures in his last eight games, including a 33-point effort against SMU last week.

North Texas kicks off its season against St. Gregory’s tonight, but the Mean Green’s season won’t really start until December 18.

That’s when freshman Tony Mitchell becomes eligible.

“Everybody’s talking about it,” Mitchell said by phone.

“We’re excited about that date,” head coach Johnny Jones added. “It will be an exciting time for us.”

While not playing at one of the BCS-conference schools, Mitchell will be one of the biggest impact freshmen in the country. He originally signed with Missouri out of high school, but the five-star prospect was ruled a partial qualifier due to questions about his transcript and test scores.

Since the Big 12 does not allow partial qualifiers, Mitchell decided he would rather go to another four-year college and sit out as opposed to junior college. North Texas was on Mitchell’s final list before he chose the Tigers – and the Mean Green allow partial qualifiers.

Jones had pursued Mitchell throughout his recruitment, and even welcomed him on campus for an official visit before he chose Missouri. For the Dallas native, it was an easy option.

“It’s basically like Missouri, with the family atmosphere,” Mitchell said. “It was a no brainer.”

Mitchell hasn’t been allowed to practice with the team since arriving at North Texas, but he’s been working out with his trainer to refine his game and expand his skill set. Moreover, he made the U-19 USA team that played in Latvia this summer.

The 6-foot-9 Mitchell led the team in rebounding (7.6) and blocks (1.8) per game, also contributing 5.0 points a contest.

“It was a very exciting, fun experience,” he said. “I just wanted to make my presence felt, make sure everyone hasn’t forgotten about me. I just played, did what I did best.”

Mitchell said it’s been difficult not to be able to play with his future Mean Green teammates, but the time away from the court has allowed him to focus on things outside of basketball. He has concentrated more on academics – the reason he is at North Texas in the first place – and he has matured on and off the hardwood.

Because he has no teammates to rely on yet, Mitchell has needed to become more independent in terms of his work ethic and schoolwork.

“He’s had to sit there and do some things academically on his own,” Jones said. “Because of his set back, it’s helped him in a sense. He had to apply himself in a different way. He’s really grown.”

“I’m basically being a college student,” Mitchell added.

North Texas went 22-11 last season, losing on a last-second shot to Arkansas-Little Rock in the Sun Belt title game. Moreover, the Mean Green lose the majority of last year’s team, including their top four scorers.

There is certainly room for Mitchell to step in and contribute immediately – and Jones needs him to be a star right off the bat. Despite not working out with the team or playing organized basketball for the better part of 18 months, Mitchell will need to shake the rust off quickly.

“Tony can play in any conference, and that’s how I gauge kids,” Jones said. “He has the ability to come in and make people around him better.”

CBSSports.com ranked Mitchell No. 16 among the freshmen entering college, because he should be able to come in and dominate the Sun Belt immediately. His talent along puts him on a different level than most players at the mid-major level.

Throw in the hunger and motivation of sitting out last season, and Mitchell is ready to get back on the court.

“I’m ready to make a huge impact,” he said. “But you still have to prove yourself. I have to live up to the expectations.”